On Labour Force Survey results in the 4th quarter of 2011

The Central Statistical Bureau has compiled the Labour Force Survey results on the 4th quarter of 2011. 3.7 thousand households were surveyed and 6.7 thousand persons aged 15-74 years were interviewed. Therefore the results on situation in the labour market and population activity include this age group. The extrapolation of the survey data is based on the number of population at the beginning of 2011, not calculated according to the Population and Housing Census results.

Active population

The active population or labour force consists of employed persons and persons who are actively seeking a job.

Compared to the corresponding period a year before, the number of active population in the 4th quarter of 2011 has increased by 0.6%. Almost two thirds (65.7%) of the population in this age group were active; this indicator comprised 70.7% among men and 61.1% among women.

Employed population

Totally 986.6 thousand persons (56.2% of the total number of population aged 15-74 years) were employed in the country. Only 4.1% of them did not work due to various reasons (vocation, illness, childcare leave of up to 3 months, etc.). Both the number of employed persons and the share of employed in the total population has increased during the reference quarter, if compared to both corresponding period a year before (in 4th quarter of 2010 951 thousand persons and 53.6%), and previous quarter (in 3rd quarter of 2011 the number comprised 984.7 thousand persons and 56.1%). According to the methodology of the Labour Force Survey the number employed persons includes 17.1 thousand people, which still having the status of unemployed during the reference week were employed (participated in complex support activities organised by the State Employment Agency, took part in active employment project “Activities for certain groups of persons”, as well as participated in programme ‘’Work practice in local governments with stipend of LVL 80’’).

Women in the total number of employed constituted slightly higher share than men - 50.5% and 49.5%, respectively.

The livelihood of the population usually comes from various sources of income, and because of this during the survey respondents indicated several sources of income. For a half (50.4%) of the population in the corresponding age group wages and salaries were the main source of income.

Employees by monthly net (after taxes) wages and salaries in the main job, per cent

Persons who during the reference week did not work and were not temporarily absent from work (vacation, illness, etc,), and who during the last four weeks were actively seeking a job, and in case of finding it were able to start working within the next two weeks, are considered as unemployed. Of which both the unemployed registered with the State Employment Agency and persons seeking a job in another way.

The results of the survey show that in the 4th quarter of 2011 there were 165.2 thousand unemployed persons or 14.3% of the active population in Latvia (both employed and unemployed). The number of unemployed and their share in active population during this time period has reduced, if compared to both 4th quarter a year before, when there were 193.4 thousand unemployed persons and their share comprised 16.9%, and 3rd quarter of 2011 (165.3 thousand persons and 14.4%, respectively). The share of unemployed men in the total number of active men in the country was higher than that of women (in the share of active women, correspondingly), constituting 16.5% and 12.1%, respectively. Registered unemployment rate in the country in the 4th quarter of 2011 comprised 11.5%, according to the data calculated on the basis of the State Employment Agency information.

Slightly more than a half (85.3 thousand persons or 51.7%) of the unemployed persons were long-term unemployed. Compared to the corresponding period a year before, their number has reduced by 21.3 thousand. In current economic situation the number of unemployed having previous work experience is still high. In the 4th quarter of 2011 there were 142.4 thousand unemployed persons having previous work experience or 86.2% of the total number of unemployed, but a year before this indicators comprised 172.7 thousand persons and 89.3%, respectively.

Inactive population

Apart from the employed and unemployed persons there is a part of the population who are not regarded as labour force - they are inactive (pensioners, pupils, students, housekeepers, disabled, persons with long-standing diseases etc.). In the 4th quarter of 2011 there were 602.5 thousand inactive persons, and, if compared to the corresponding period of the year before, their number has diminished by 4.1%.

Pensioners in the 4th quarter of 2011 accounted for slightly more than two fifths (43.7%), pupils and students who in the reference week studied full time and did not work were every fourth (28.4%), every tenth (10.1%) considered themselves as housekeepers, but every fourteenth (7.3%), in turn, were persons who had been ill for a long time or disabled.

Particular attention in this group should be paid to persons who are potential unemployed, but have been discouraged or do not know where and how to find a job. Results of the survey show that during the reference quarter 40.2 thousand persons in the country were discouraged to find a job (6.7% of the total number of inactive population). Compared to the 4th quarter of 2010, the number of persons, who have been discouraged, has decreased by 15.5 thousand.

More information on Labour Force Survey results is available in the data base of CSB Web Page.

The results of the Population and Housing Census of Latvia showed that the actual number of population is 7% smaller than the number used in the CSB calculations, therefore the population number published prior will be specified basing on the data obtained within the Population and Housing Census. Basing on the mentioned data specification, the results acquired in the Labour Force Survey will be recalculated, as the extrapolation of the Labour Force Survey data is based on the number of population at the beginning of the year. Thus the planned press release “On Labour Force Survey results in 2011” will not be published on 21 March 2012, nevertheless the non-recalculated data of 2011 will be available in the CSB web page database on the mentioned date.

Labour Force Survey data recalculated in compliance with the Population and Housing Census results in breakdown by quarters of 2011 and on the year as a whole will be published in the database together with the data on 1st quarter 2012 - on May 15.

It has been envisaged to complete the recalculation of the data on years 2000 - 2010 in the 2nd half of 2013.